Four suspected bandits were arrested after reportedly invading the runway area of Akure Airport on Sunday evening, prompting a rapid security response from multiple agencies.
Sources said the suspects allegedly chased farmers from nearby farmlands toward the airport runway, drawing the attention of Air Traffic Controllers stationed in the control tower.
Concerned about the presence of armed men near the runway, the controllers alerted authorities and requested stronger security measures around the airport.
Officials from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria quickly notified aviation security personnel, the Nigerian Air Force, police officers and Amotekun operatives. Security teams then combed the forests surrounding the airport, leading to the arrest of four suspects.
According to a source, the suspects were first sighted near the Eleyewo community behind the airport before security personnel launched a pursuit.
Witnesses said a woman and several young men ran from nearby farms toward the airport fence while shouting for help after spotting men on motorcycles who appeared to be chasing them.
Security operatives eventually ambushed and arrested the suspects, who were taken away by the police and Amotekun for further investigation.
Reacting to the incident, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Olubunmi Kuku, said the development highlighted the need for stronger perimeter security at airports.
She added that the Federal Government has already accelerated plans to install operational and perimeter fencing at airports across the country to prevent similar security breaches.
